


Won't You Let Me Take You on a Sea Cruise?

by alreadysomeone



Category: Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:22:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alreadysomeone/pseuds/alreadysomeone
Summary: Once the case in “Ship of Spies” is wrapped up, how do Lee and Amanda celebrate before they have to return to Washington D.C.?  A little dancing, some fun in the sun, and a hot ‘n’ heavy romance.
Relationships: Amanda King & Lee Stetson, Amanda King/Lee Stetson
Comments: 13
Kudos: 13





	1. Come Sail Away

**Author's Note:**

> For the purposes of this story I’m envisioning “Ship of Spies” as very late in Season 2 - after “Burn Out” for sure. I’ve futzed a bit with the timeline during the episode, and have turned it into a week-long cruise. Apologies for plot contrivances and any inaccuracies in the settings/situations that I made in order to suit the story.

_ Lee handily thwarted Rackam’s attempt to pitch them over the side of the cliff - inside a car. After which he and Amanda escaped that same vehicle as it careened down to the beach. Once on the sand, they brought Miles and Jillian to heel and freed Emiliano and Orlando from the ropes that bound their wrists. _

_ Using the radio in Miles and Jillian’s van, Lee reached the local authorities. San Angelo officers were mobilized and a nearby US Coast Guard cutter seized the insurrectionists’ boat. Local police picked up Gretz and Rackam from the side of the road on their way to arrest MIles and Jillian. _

_ Once back in town, Orland and Emiliano made contact with their respective bosses while Lee and Amanda spoke at length with the US Coast Guard and, of course, Billy back at the Agency. Statements were made, status reports got filed, and the whole thing was over and done by five o’clock. _

_ ====== _

Anxious to shed the grit of the beach and the sweat of the harrowing day, Lee and Amanda were happy to be back aboard the  _ Princess Martha _ .

Finally clean and in her regular clothes, Amanda held up the wedding dress and considered it with a touch of wistfulness. It was a mess, most certainly never to be worn again, and likely a total loss. The gorgeous garment would never see a real wedding.

“Amanda? You decent?” Lee knocked from his side of their adjoining rooms.

“Yeah, come on in,” she called.

“Nice to get washh up, huh?”

Hanging the bridal gown on the back of the cabin door, Amanda turned. “This poor thing is beyond recovery.”

“Yeah, my tux too. Nothing like hand-to-hand in a ship’s engine room, a dowsing with vodka, rolling out of a moving car, and getting into a fist fight on the beach to ruin a good suit.”

Amanda smiled at his glib summary of the day.

“Listen, Amanda…” Lee’s tone changed to something between serious and nervous while he trained his gaze on the carpet.

She held in a breath, expecting to hear a lecture about how she’d handled herself on the case. 

“I talked to Billy again… and since he was so reluctant to even let me even look into Orlando’s telegram, he’s given me the rest of the week off.”

“Oh?”

“So… what do you think?” Lee asked, looking at her, his eyebrows lifted hopefully. 

“What do I think about what?” Amanda was still unsure what he was getting at.

“Staying on board for the rest of the cruise - enjoying some well-earned R&R.”

“Oh! That sounds like a great idea. You’ll really enjoy that.” Amanda nodded encouragingly.

“No, Amanda…” Lee sighed.

“No?”

“Not just me.  _ You _ and me. What do you say? Unless you have to get back for a coat sale, or your Mother and the boys need you...”

As much as he would’ve enjoyed the cruise without her, Lee found that a three and a half days on a Carribean cruise with Amanda was exactly what he wanted.

“Well… I did tell Mother I might be gone all week, the boys are at Junior Trailblazer camp for spring break, and I packed enough clothes… could be fun. Sure, why not?”

Amanda rarely had time away for herself. She loved being a mother; raising Phillip and Jamie was one of the most fulfilling parts of her life. But even devoted parents needed time off now and then. Plus, she liked how Lee had been opening up to her, and to himself. He was much more settled and trusting - relaxed even - and Amanda was flattered that he wanted her to stay.

“Great!” Lee clapped his hands together enthusiastically. “ _ And _ we have the compliments of the Staff Captain - who’s taken over command of the ship - he wants to upgrade us to a suite.”

“Oooh, a suite?” Amanda thought it sounded very luxurious.

“Yep. We’ll change for dinner, pack up, and I’ll call to have our luggage moved.”

After hanging up with the bell desk, Lee saw that Amanda had wandered in. She’d changed into a pair of fashionably tailored black palazzo pants and a tank-style top that was a shimmery silver with black trim.

“I’m so glad Orlando was all right.” Amanda sat on the edge of his bed, content to watch as Lee finished packing. She liked his ‘vacation’ look, which he’d sported in Europe as well - no tie, shirt unbuttoned a bit, and a blazer.

“Yeah, me too. He saved my life once and his intel on Grenada was invaluable,” he said over his shoulder as he went to pack up his shaving kit from the bathroom.

The steward arrived and handed them each a key to their new accommodations. In turn, Lee passed him several bills after their luggage was piled onto the cart.

“I’ll just look around one last time,” Amanda said as she started for her room. “We were at a motel in Virginia Beach once and we left Jamie’s Dusty the Rabbit behind. He cried and cried the whole way home.”

Lee used to find Amanda’s tales of suburban antics annoying and a waste of time. Now they were a familiar part of his daily life, and he found himself actually paying attention. 

Amanda came back and made one last visual sweep under his bed. “Okay, we’re all good! Shall we head to the dining room?”

Once in the hallway, Lee offered her his arm as they walked. “So, what happened?”

“When?”

“With Dusty the Rabbit?”

She was surprised at his interest. “Oh, the crisis was averted by a secret weapon known only among parents.”

“What’s that?” Lee asked.

“Duplicates.”

“Duplicates?”

“Yep. When we got home, I did the laundry from the trip and put new Dusty the Rabbit in the dryer. When everything came out - there was Dusty. Found and miraculously clean!”

Lee laughed and shook his head. “Pretty clever.”

“Only lasts until they’re about five. After that, they catch on,” Amanda concluded as they stepped up to the host stand in the dining room.

The maitre d’ escorted them to a table for two, and after they settled into their seats, Amanda noted, “Kinda deserted in here.”

Lee looked around - the elegant dining room was noticeably empty, even for the early seating. 

They hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so Lee (who’d really only had coffee) and Amanda welcomed the approach of their waiter with champagne and the evening’s appetizer. Later, as they were finishing their lobster tail main course, the waiter returned and presented dessert: a tray of petit four-sized wedding cakes.

“Thank you.” Amanda smiled.

Lee and Amanda looked down at the tiny cakes in front of them, then looked up at each other, momentarily puzzled.

Lee solved the mystery first. “Terrible form for a groom, but I forgot we got married today.” Their ‘wedding’ seemed like eons ago.

“I’ve got an excuse, I’ve done it before, so it’s old hat for me,” she joked. “I hope you’re not planning to shove one of those into my mouth.”

“I think we’ll skip that tradition and just feed ourselves.”

“Good idea.”

They ended up splitting each little cake in half so they could sample all the varieties. After polishing off the lot and draining the last of their champagne, they got up to go.

“What do you say we take that walk around the deck?”

“I was just going to suggest that,” Amanda said as Lee tucked her arm in his.

“No lifeboat climbing this time, okay?”

“Definitely no lifeboat climbing.”

The view of San Angelo’s harbor lights as the ship left the island was complemented by a soft, warm breeze carrying the scent of the sea. As they approached Lifeboat C, Lee maneuvered them as far away from the rail as possible. He wanted to lighten the memory of her dangling above the open water.

“Very funny.”

“You nearly gave me a heart attack, you know that?” He couldn’t quite attain the levity he wanted.

“I really thought I was on to something with Lifeboat C, seat 24.”

“I know, I know.” Lee moved his arm around her shoulders. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Amanda looked up and smiled, enjoying his concern and protectiveness. As their eyes met, the moment took on a decidedly romantic tone. Lee forced a chuckle and gave her a platonic pat before removing his arm.

“It’s a lovely evening, I’m surprised there aren’t more people out here.” Amanda tried to counter Lee’s sudden awkwardness.

He acknowledged her observation with a short ‘hmm.’ Lee’s mind was awhirl after the swell of attraction that had just bubbled up between them. He certainly cared for her; she was a good friend. Anyone would be hard pressed to say she was anything other than beautiful. And their kiss at the wedding had been unexpectedly sensual. He wasn’t sure what to think.

Strolling in silence for some time, they rounded the deck to the windward side and Amanda shivered.

“You cold?” Lee moved to put his arm around her.

“Just a little… this is better.”

Lee smiled as she settled into his embrace. When they’d been on the beach, keeping Jillian and Miles at bay, it’d felt patently natural to have his arm around. The instinct to have her close again was undeniable. Maybe he  _ did _ know what to think.

He sensed she was enjoying it too, and why shouldn’t they take pleasure in each other’s company? They’d been working well together,  _ getting along  _ well. When he’d faked burnout, her faith in him had been nothing but steadfast. Almost without Lee noticing, she’d made her way past his bravado and gotten under his skin.

Amanda suddenly spoke up. “Lee, I have a confession.”

It was so unlike Amanda to hold anything back that he stopped walking to face her. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. 

“When we filled out the paperwork before the wedding ceremony this morning, I used a fake name.”

Lee chuckled. “You did?”

“Do you think we’ll get in any trouble?”

He broke into a full laugh. “Not at all. The forms will get filed on San Angelo, but they’ll be null and vo id. No one will ever even know.”

“Good, because I also used a fake address, birthdate, birthplace...” Amanda began to rattle off nearly every field on the form.

“You went all out! That was quick thinking,” Lee said. “I actually did the same thing.”

“So we’re definitely not married.” Amanda was relieved. She hadn’t wanted to get them in trouble, but she had not been pleased  _ at all _ about a legally-binding fake marriage. 

“Nope. Not even a little bit.”

“Well, maybe a  _ tiny _ bit, we did eat those itsy-bitsy wedding cakes.” Amanda joked as she gestured with her thumb and forefinger.

“I also put a real gold ring on your finger,” Lee said, holding up her hand to show it off.

“And we did kiss…”

“Yeah…” Lee’s voice caught in his throat as he agreed. He was well aware that they’d kissed.

Amanda felt heat rising in her cheeks as they stared at each other. For at least the second time that evening, she felt the unmistakable tension of attraction building between them.

A door slammed shut as a crew member came out onto deck, breaking their moment.

“It’s getting pretty windy out here. Maybe we should go inside,” Lee suggested.

“Yeah.”

Amanda had been kissed by Lee before - a hasty move to protect their cover and give him a reason for breaking curfew. Their wedding kiss was necessary for their cover too, but she knew it was coming. Amanda also knew that kissing Lee Stetson was not unpleasant - at all. What she hadn’t expected was for it to be so astonishingly arousing this time.

Much warmer inside, they continued to stroll around the ship… laughing at the tacky paintings in the ‘fine art gallery,’ peeking in at the closed casino, and following the sounds of a jazz combo to the deserted lounge.

“Shall we give them a real audience?” Lee suggested.

“Aww, our first dance.”

They came together in a casual dance pose. Lee teased, “Will it be a tiny dance, like the tiny cakes?”

The band appeared to appreciate having people to play for, nodding at them as they transitioned from one tune into the next.

“Where do you think everyone is tonight? I hope they didn’t party too much and miss the ship, or pass out in their cabins. You’d think they’d be celebrating,” Amanda observed.

“Uh, Amanda, I think they  _ are _ celebrating... just not here. They’re probably in their cabins… but not passed out,” Lee raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“Oh!” The penny dropped.

“So much for you being experienced with weddings!”

Lee felt a wave of knots whip around his gut. It was one thing to joke about weddings being ‘old hat’ for her, but he regretted even this vague reference to Amanda and Joe’s wedding night. To ward off any accompanying images, he focused on the tantalizing feel of Amanda in his arms. Lee closed his eyes and only opened them again when Amanda yawned.

“Is that an editorial comment on your dance partner?”

“Not at all. It’s a comment on the long day we’ve had.” Amanda couldn’t suppress a second, even bigger yawn.

“In that case, I agree. Shall we go check out our suite?”

They thanked the band and Lee left a few bills in their sadly barren tip jar. Finding their suite, Lee used his key to open the door and gestured for Amanda to go in. The first thing she noticed was that the room was about six times the size of their previous rooms; the second thing was that it had a balcony.

Lee expected Amanda to say at least something about the room, but she was silent. “Everything okay? Did our luggage get here?” He paced forward to stand at her side and scanned the room. “Oh.” He thought he understood what the issue was. “You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Don’t be silly, we’re adults, we can share this enormous bed.” She shook off the suggestion before pointing out what really had her focus. “I can’t believe we’ve got a balcony!”

Lee smiled with relief, showing off his dimples. “After the tiny cakes and our ‘little’ dance, I guess we should be glad the bed’s not a single.”

Amanda laughed and moved to unpack her luggage and get settled. “You can have the bathroom first, I’ll hang up my things and change.”

Lee grabbed his bathroom kit and headed in, where he called back, “You think the bed’s big, wait ‘til you see the jetted tub!”

By the time Amanda had finished her turn in the bathroom, Lee was fast asleep on one side of the California king-sized bed - and it wasn’t as if she had a long nightly ritual by any stretch. She supposed that secret agents learned to catch sleep when they could. Amanda slipped quietly into the other side of the bed, and true to the yawns she couldn't suppress earlier, she was soon sleeping soundly as well.

END CHAPTER ONE


	2. We Sail the Ocean Blue

Morning light flooded through the gaps in the drapes that covered the glass door to their balcony. Lee woke to the sound of the shower running and a puzzle in his mind as to how he’d slept so well. He was a light sleeper, especially while on a case. They weren’t on a case. He was also easily awakened when he had a bed partner. Amanda wasn’t that kind of ‘bed partner.’ Lee marveled at how nice it was to be so comfortable with someone that he could sleep so soundly.

Adjusting the pillows behind his back, he sat up and lazed in bed. He didn’t know how long it’d been or when he’d dozed off, but the bathroom door opening and Amanda calling his name had him wide awake.

“Lee, bathroom’s all yours.” While her hair and makeup were done, she wore a ship-supplied bathrobe with ‘ _Princess Martha’_ embroidered on it. “You were right about that jetted tub. It could practically fit Phillip, Jamie, and the whole Junior Trailblazer troop!”

“Not exactly the image I had in mind,” Lee mumbled before loudly remarking, “You might want to wear something a bit more ‘beachy’ for the day.”

“Cute.”

“Yes, I am. I’ve been telling you that for at least a year, when are you going to believe me?”

Lee stretched and Amanda couldn’t help but notice how his shirt rucked up to expose his lower abdomen as he lifted his arms. It almost changed the answer she’d been about to give. Almost.

“I’ll keep you posted,” she said while ducking her head into the closet to pick out clothes.

Lee gave a disgruntled snort as he got up and rummaged around for clothes before going to shower, shave, and dress.

Hearing the water turn on, Amanda discarded the robe and put on a three-quarter sleeved white blouse with thin blue horizontal lines, a pair of white linen pants, and her Keds.

When Lee was done, he stepped out and gave her an appraising stare. “You look cute.”

“Thank you.”

Lee held his hands out and shrugged. “See how easy that was? It’s really not that hard to tell someone that they’re cute.”

“Yes, but I _am_ cute.”

“I’m never going to win this one, am I?” He shook his head and laughed as he slipped on his shoes.

“You never know…” Amanda teased.

As they walked to the buffet breakfast, Amanda proposed a plan. “I was reading the brochure on Curaçao and there’s a great historical walking tour. I was thinking we could do that - you like history and the boys will appreciate it if I come back with more than just ‘went to the beach’ stories. Then in the afternoon, there’s a snorkeling excursion.”

“The snorkeling in the Bahamas is much better, and we’ll be there the day after tomorrow,” Lee said with confidence.

“Done a lot of snorkeling have you?”

“As a matter of fact, I have. Peter Simons, one of our best agents from the old days used to have a bungalow there and he’d throw these wild Agency parties…” Lee caught Amanda’s disapproving look. “Uh... nevermind the parties. But trust me, the snorkling is fantastic in the Bahamas.”

“Well then, you can teach me.”

He was glad she skipped any commentary on Pete’s ragers. The party days of Lee’s late twenties had been full of ill-advised wild-oat sowing. Those bacchanalian times now seemed immature and not nearly as appealing as anything other than stories from the past.

“I’d love to. And that history walk of yours sounds interesting.”

At the buffet, Lee fixed himself a modest plate, grabbed a cup of coffee, and found an empty table.

“Actually eating breakfast?” Amanda asked as she sat down.

“I figured we’d be walking for a couple of hours on the tour, and then we might want to keep exploring the town, so, you know… energy.”

“Good planning.” Amanda gestured around the room with her fork. “The breakfast buffet is practically as empty as the deck was last night.”

“The couples that _are_ here look pretty tired.”

“I think we got a lot more sleep than they did!”

“At least a _tiny_ bit more,” Lee held up his finger and thumb.

Amanda raised her eyebrows as she tipped her head toward a couple that was well absorbed in each other’s physical company. “Lee, there’s your couple from C-24.”

“Those two just don’t stop!”

======

After disembarking, Lee and Amanda stood by a line of golf carts and waited for their tour. As they did, it became clear that the other couples milling around and queuing up for excursions were definitely newlyweds. There was a pair canoodling and giggling incessantly; a couple that kept looking at their wedding bands and kissing; and a wife and husband who kept saying ‘We’re married!’ back and forth to each other.

Lee lifted Amanda’s hand and gestured to her ring. “Shines nicely in the sun, doesn’t it, _dear_?”

“Sure does, _sweetheart_.” Amanda smiled at their jokes.

Maybe it was the love in the air around them, but rather than jerk their hands back as they might have in the past, they just kept holding on. 

Lee liked this new development very much, but was nervous she might pull away if he didn’t distract her. “So, what fake birthdate did you use?”

“Yesterday, on the marriage record? Why?”

“Just curious if you made yourself younger,” he shrugged.

“You think I’m old?” Amanda let Lee linger in momentary fear that he’d offended her before squeezing his hand reassuringly and continuing, “We’ve only been married for a day and you’re ready to turn me in for a younger model?”

“Not at all, you’re a classic.”

Amanda gave him a sour look, then admitted, “Okay, I made myself three years younger. What about you?”

“Two years. I guess we’re a couple of old fogies.”

“Oh, we’ve still got some good years ahead of us,” she laughed. “I’m guessing you didn’t put ‘spy’ as your occupation - sorry ‘intelligence operative’?”

“I went with ‘State Department analyst.’ Let’s see… you put ‘housewife’?” Lee assumed that she’d have given an honest answer for at least one of the questions.

“No, I thought it might look suspicious since we weren’t married yet.” Amanda looked down at her wedding band.

“Hang on, you gave false information on the rest of the form, but worried that ‘housewife’ would raise red flags?” Lee looked around assessing the situation. “Hang on, _you_ didn’t put ‘spy’ did you?!”

“No one’s paying a lick of attention to us. But no, I didn’t. Give up?”

Yesterday, Amanda had felt particularly guilty about all the untruths she’d put on the form. Today in the warm Caribbean breeze, with their case tidily wrapped up and Lee holding her hand sweetly, it seemed more like a fun game of make-believe.

“One more guess…” Lee waived his hand around looking for the ‘right’ answer. “I know! Circus performer.”

Amanda’s eyes went wide. “Yes!”

“I was _joking_!” Lee guffawed.

“Well, ‘circus costume designer.’ My grandmother used to take me and my cousins to the circus every year. They loved the acrobats and the clowns and the lion tamer. I loved the wild outfits - all sparkly, silly, or sleek. Obviously, that career didn’t pan out, but it did get me into sewing.”

“Huh. We should work that into your cover sometime.”

“The sewing?”

“No, the circus part.”

“Not a chance, buster.” Amanda shook her head. “What about you - what’d you want to be when you were a kid?

“The usual. Sheriff in the Old West, cowboy, astronaut, fireman.”

Lee’s banter and unguarded conversation was a testament to the layers he’d shed from his stubborn and irascible veneer. Amanda was finding it very appealing.

“You could probably get away with using ‘fireman’ or ‘astronaut’ but I’m not sure ‘cowpoke’ would work.”

“Cow _boy_ not cow _poke_!” Lee pretended exasperation at her teasing.

He loved it when Amanda teased him like this. When Billy had first insisted they work together, Lee found her to be an exasperating drag. Eventually, her enthusiasm for learning and natural aptitude for the job began to impress him. He came to admire her down-to-earth practicalities and warmth with people. But it was her stubborn fortitude that won him over. Lee liked to be challenged; and she sure challenged him, in the best possible ways.

With two staccato blasts on a whistle, their tour guide rounded up his charges for the day, inviting them to grab a seat on one of the golf carts. As Lee and Amanda slid into the last row of a cart, the young couple in front of them turned around.

“Hi, I’m Julie and this is _my husband_ Tony. _We’re_ the Selkirks from Cincinnati.”

Not missing a beat, Amanda spoke up. “Nice to meet you. I’m Amanda, and this is my husband, Lee. We’re so glad he could get time off before the big cattle drive on the good ol’ Chisholm Trail. Now that we’re finally hitched, I know he’ll stay away from those calico queens, or he’ll be wearin’ a California collar sooner than you can say ‘git along little doggies’.”

“Wow!” said Tony.

“Gosh!” exclaimed Julie.

On top of the ridiculous story, the drawl Amanda was affecting sent Lee into a coughing fit. Julie and Tony looked concerned for their new friend while Amanda patted him on the back.

Lee had just about recovered when Amanda made a concerned ‘hmm.’ “Oh, honey. I hope it’s not the scrofula,” which sent him back into choking spasms.

“Gosh, that won’t interfere with your, um, cattle duties, will it?” Tony asked earnestly.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. What do you do, Tony?” Lee croaked out reassurances and desperately tried to steer them away from ‘the good ol’ Chisholm Trail.’

“Oh… uh, I’m an accountant and Julie’s a teacher.”

Tony sounded self-conscious about their professions and Lee took pity. “Accountant, huh? Well, I’ll tell ya, I never was much good with figurin’ numbers. Amanda tried teachin’ for a while, but it didn’t take. The kids scared her somethin’ fierce. Worked out though - gave her a chance to follow her dream, isn’t that right, honey?”

“Yeah, you gotta follow your dreams.” Amanda agreed warily, not appreciating the shoe being on the other foot.

“The kids can be a bit much sometimes.” Julie was sympathetic. “What do you do now?”

“I’m a... um--” she began.

Lee jumped in and Amanda could’ve kicked herself for not being faster out of the gate.

“She trains monkeys for the circus.”

Not that either of them had truly forgotten that they were still holding hands, but Lee was suddenly made _very_ _aware_ of it when Amanda clenched his hand as hard as she could.

“Really?!” Julie asked.

“Oh, yes. I just love those little primates to pieces,” Amanda said through a fake smile.

“Wow, you two are something else.” Tony shook his head in awe and admiration.

Not a moment too soon - in fact several moments too late to save them from the backstories they’d spun - their convoy of golf carts started off and their guide began to talk. Hensley peppered them with statistics and anecdotes about his home island as they drove from the pier toward historic Punda in Willemstad.

Under the guise of whispering ‘sweet nothings’ into Amanda’s ear, Lee put his arm around her and leaned in. “What are you _doing!_?”

“What am _I_ doing? What are _you_ doing?”

“Apparently I’m fighting off tuberculosis! And just what are calico queens and California collars? Where do you get this stuff?”

“Last year- while on a break from _training the_ _monkeys_ ,” Amanda threw his fabrication back at him, “I helped Phillip with his Chisholm Trail project. California collars are nooses and calico queens are, um, ‘working girls’.”

“Phillip did his report on _hookers_?!”

“No! He checked a book out of the library on Old West slang and it was so interesting that Mother and I both read the whole thing. We steered Phillip toward the chapter on cattle. Did you know that ‘cowboy’ and ‘cowpoke’ are actually the same thing?”

“Fascinating.” Lee leaned back to give her a droll look. “But what was with that accent? It was like Ricky Joe’s ex-wife came to life again.”

“Oh, just being silly, I guess.”

“Amanda, even though we’re regular passengers now, we should still keep a low profile.”

“You got it, Tex.” Amanda winked as she pointed a ‘finger gun’ at him and pretended to shoot.

Lee laughed and shook his head. Phillip and Jamie were lucky to have her as their mother. Amanda was a lot more fun than his disciplinarian uncle that’d raised him - which wasn’t to say that she didn’t have high expectations for her boys. She was the kind of parent he liked to think his mother had been. The kind he’d want to have as the mother of his childr--

Before Lee could finish the thought - let alone process why that image had leapt so readily to his mind - the parade of golf carts came to a jerking halt in front of Fort Amsterdam, an yellowy-orange set of buildings with bright white trim. Passengers piled out and arranged themselves in an informal semi-circle around Hensley.

“Do you see that cannonball?” All eyes followed to where he was pointing. Up on the second floor of one of the buildings, there was an actual cannonball embedded in the wall.

“That was from a British ship led by John Bligh when he captured the fort from the Dutch in 1804. It may look small way up there, but here’s one on the ground. Who wants to try to lift it?” Hensley looked around. “Come on… someone must want to show off for their new wife! How about you, in the light blue polo shirt?”

It was a nightmare come true for Lee, being picked out of a crowd for the sake of some ridiculous demonstration. He tried to demure, but the group cheered him on, including Amanda.

“Oh, honey, I’d just love to see you lift that thing!”

Lee stepped forward, looked back at her with the biggest grin he could plaster on and hoped she could read his eyes, which said ‘you’ll pay for this!’

He knew this scenario probably played out several times a day, with unsuspecting tourists trying to lift a cannonball that was undoubtedly cemented to the ground. Lee bent to grasp the projectile and, of course, it wouldn’t budge.

Hensley led the group in a chant. “Lift! Lift! Lift!”

There was something about hearing Amanda’s voice in the crowd that made him not want to be a spoilsport or disappoint her. Grunting and groaning a few times for effect, Lee’s biceps strained the ribbing on the sleeves of his shirt. He concluded his performance by standing up, wiping his brow, and laughing goodnaturedly at himself.

Once back with Amanda, she curled her fingers around Lee’s upper arm and gave a test squeeze. “I’ve made up my mind. You’re definitely not cute.”

“No?” Lee looked at her, his eyebrows knit together.

“You’re hunky.”

Lee’s face broke into a smile, and when Amanda reached again to feel his muscles, dimples lined his cheeks.

“And you, Amanda King, are a tease.” He flexed his bicep hard and soaked in the revelation that with just a silly exchange, Amanda could make him feel more desired than any of the women who’d ever openly flirted or propositioned him.

Despite her joshing, Amanda’s insides did an exhilarating flip at Lee’s comment and the feel of his firm muscles under her grip. She counted herself among the many who admired his physique and found him attractive. Knowing he was showing off his body especially for her put a hitch in her chest and warm tingles through her body.

The tour continued through the fort, the adjoining museum, and surrounding historic streets. Finally, Hensley gathered the group to announce that he would drive anyone back to the ship who wanted a ride, otherwise they were on their own to explore and shop.

Lee and Amanda strolled around historic Willemstad and down Keukenstraat to visit the Maritime Museum, where Amanda bought Phillip and Jamie a couple of books on the buccaneer history of the Caribbean. They peeked inside the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas and admired the azure stained windows and sand-covered floor.

“Amanda…” Lee began as they started toward the Queen Emma Bridge. “I really am sorry I didn’t tell you this was a wedding cruise.”

“You know you could’ve told me you didn’t think we’d get as far as the ceremony. You could have explained that we would use false information so we wouldn’t be legally married.”

Lee sighed. After she’d chastised him when they first boarded, he realized that their partnership - and Amanda’s experience in the field - should have demanded that he be honest with her from the start.

He stopped walking and turned to hold onto her arms. “I wanted you as my partner on this, and I was afraid you’d say ‘no.’ But I should’ve talked to you about it. You’re my partner and it wasn't fair of me.”

“Thank you, that really means a lot.” Taking his hand in hers, they continued to walk as she added, “If I’d known the plan, we might not have sounded so confused about our own engagement in front of Jillian and Miles that first day.”

Releasing a relieved breath, Lee fessed up to the final reason for his deception. “It was either you or Francine, and there was no way that was happening. She’s a great agent - you’re a much better wife.”

“Yeah, but she probably wouldn’t have told people you were a cattle driver. On the other hand, she’d hog all the closet space.”

They looked at each other and laughed. Francine was an excellent operative but she could really be an interpersonal bull in a china shop.

“Wait a minute,” Amanda said. “If I’m such a great wife, why were you so reluctant to pose for Miles? Even a hug was giving you hives that day.”

“That guy just really got on my nerves.” Amanda could see Lee’s jaw clenching as he talked. “It’s one thing to play our cover when it’s just between us. But being told by a blowhard like Miles…” Lee slowed his pace. “I… I don’t like being ordered to be phony like that with you.”

Amanda stopped short and turned to face him. “Really?”

The clarity of exactly how very _un-phony_ they were feeling about each other hovered tentatively in the air. The sensation barely had a chance to form before a loud naval bell clanged and broke apart their dawning realization.

“I don’t think we’re going to get to walk across the bridge today,” Lee said, pointing toward the floating pedestrian walkway that spanned the bay. There was a line of boats large and small queued up to return to port via St. Anna Bay, and the footbridge was starting to swing open. 

“Hey! You’re from the cruise, right?”

It was the C-24 couple from the ship.

“Uh, yeah. Hi.” Lee was amazed they recognized _anyone_ from the cruise since they spent all their time making out.

“We wanted to walk the pontoon back to the pier but it looks like we’re out of luck. Want to go in on a cab?”

“Uh...” Lee wasn’t particularly keen on spending time with these two but Amanda had other ideas.

“Oh, you betcha’ we would. My dogs are really barking and I’d just love to grab a pop and get in a soak before supper. I think there’s a taxi stand just down the road apiece.”

Lee stared at Amanda as she swung into what he guessed was an attempt at a Minnesota accent. Or Maine, he wasn’t sure.

“Cool! I’m Tad and this is my wife, Dixie.”

“Gaman ad kynnast ther, eg heiti Bjorn.” Lee nodded and smiled.

“Wow! Is that Swedish?” Dixie asked Amanda.

“Íslenskur,” Lee answered, much to Amanda’s relief. She had no idea what he was speaking.

“Iceland?!” Tad guessed.

“Ja.”

“He’s still learning English. We get by on the language of love, don’t we Bjorn?”

“Ja,” Lee said again, squeezing Amanda to his side.

The foursome shared a taxi, and because of his height Lee lucked out and got the passenger seat. Amanda was squished in the back, up against the passenger-side door, while Dixie and Tad cooed and kissed. When Dixie let out a particularly loud moan, Amanda clapped a hand on Lee’s shoulder. He smiled and patted it, he understood. Afterall, he’d spent a very awkward 45 minutes in Tad and Dixie’s closet a couple of days ago.

Grateful for the cabbie’s speed through the narrow streets of Willemstad, Lee and Amanda ditched them as soon as they settled up with the driver. More like Tad and Dixie immediately forgot anyone else existed as they walked and smooched their way toward the ship.

“I understand being passionate, but they are just too much!” Amanda shook her head in amazement.

“You understand being passionate, huh?”

Lee couldn’t help himself. There was no way Amanda could use the word ‘passionate’ without him taking very close notice.

“Wouldn’t you like to know...” Amanda strode briskly forward and up the gangplank, leaving Lee agape.

By the time he caught up to her, other passengers had started to gather in the elevator queue. “We’ll get back to that,” Lee said quietly. “In the meantime, this whole pretending to be other people charade has got to stop.”

Amanda looked straight ahead. “Okay.”

“Okay? Just like that?” He knew better than to be convinced.

“Just like that.” She kept her face neutral, her gaze off in the distance. 

“You’re not going to, are you?”

“Nope.” Amanda shook her head, smiled, and finally looked at him. “You?”

“Nei, örugglega ekki,” Lee said as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

======

The timing did, in fact, work out so Amanda could have a pop and a soak before they needed to dress for dinner. Lee ordered drinks, cheese, and crackers, which they ate out on their balcony.

“I was expecting the balcony to be bigger. But it fits - _tiny_ cubes of cheese on our _tiny_ balcony.” Amanda speared a bit of gouda with a toothpick and held it up for inspection before popping it into her mouth. “Today was fun, I hope the pleasure of my company wasn’t tiny.”

“Pleasure… passionate...” Lee looked meaningfully at Amanda, trying to figure out if she was dropping those words on purpose.

“Well,” she said, standing up. “I’m going to try out that jetted tub before we get ready for dinner.”

Once again, Amanda breezed off leaving Lee in the dust of his own befuddlement.

Closing his eyes, he sighed and leaned his head back to ponder several kinds of pleasure that could be had in the giant tub. His mind drifted to the alluring dip of her dress from the prior evening… how foolish and amazing she’d been by trying to investigate Lifeboat C… how sensuous her lips had felt when they’d kissed yesterday… how she could be both so sensibly suburban _and_ sexy beyond words.

Invading his very enjoyable thoughts was the stark juxtaposition between Amanda and Randy. ‘Baby,’ he added silently, mentally rolling his eyes at himself.

He hadn’t seen Randy since she’d run into Amanda at his apartment - for the second time. She had left a couple of terse messages after that, but Lee found he didn’t care if he ever saw her again, so he just deleted them.

On the outside, Randy was the type of woman that a tall, handsome spy should date while in his virile 30s. But it was all superficial flash. Women like Randy had started to become poor substitutes for someone of real depth and complexity that, deep down, Lee longed for. Someone like Amanda.

Meanwhile, Amanda luxuriated in the warm bubbles foaming around her as the jets aerated the water. She put her feet up against the jets for a while, then turned to let the power of the water massage her back. Sliding down, she lingered below the surface before re-emerging and slicking back her hair.

The tub was truly enormous and obviously intended for romantic assignations. Amanda was suddenly tempted to indulge her imagination with a few delicious possibilities of how she and Lee might take advantage of the tub and its jets. But with him lounging on the balcony not far away, she didn’t quite feel free to explore those thoughts - or the sensations they aroused in her body.

Amanda knew the kind of player lifestyle Lee had led, but that reputation seemed to belong to the Lee she’d worked with in their first year. He was increasingly grounded and at ease with himself. She’d been seeing more and more of what she knew was the real man behind the bravado.

They’d been getting closer as friends, and had become real partners at work, but the kiss at their ‘wedding’ awakened something deeper that refused to be ignored or even tamped down. She wasn’t sure where it might lead. For now, Amanda was content to see how things naturally played out.

After her bath, Amanda and Lee played ‘musical rooms’ between the bedroom and the bathroom to change their clothes and primp for dinner in the dining room.

“You ready?” she called to him in the bathroom.

Lee came out snugging his necktie into place. “Just need my jacket.”

“Nice. Very ‘Carribean’.” Amanda complimented his wardrobe choice - an ecru linen suit with a russet-orange tie.

She wore a deep azure dress with spaghetti straps and a swooping neckline.

“You, too.” Holding his arm out, Lee felt like the luckiest man on the ship to have Amanda at his side.

The dining room was decorated in silver and blue, including a towering pyramid of bottles of local Blue Curaçao. Roving waiters offered the first of many blue cocktails they enjoyed through the evening. Amanda chose something called a ‘sapphire alpine,’ which was nearly the color of her dress and featured a curl of lemon rind. Lee picked up a ‘daphne martini’ with a slightly deeper blue tint and three blueberries at the bottom.

“I didn’t know I’d match the drinks,” Amanda said as they made their way to their table.

‘I could drink _you_ up,’ Lee thought. 

Seated at a round table for eight, they managed to keep the spinning of their wild yarns reasonably tame. He introduced them as Lee and Amanda, alpaca breeders from Indiana.

“I have just one word for you: alpacas. There may not be a lot of us around now, but just you wait, there’s a great future in alpaca ranches!”

Amanda regaled the table with how she’d worked for years shearing the herd; cleaning, skirting, and carding the fibers; then spinning it into yarn for knitting into sweaters and scarves, which she sold in local boutiques - all so they could afford the cruise.

“It was worth every effort. But gosh, we’ve been missing those spittin’ alpacas this week.”

Lee nodded in agreement before taking another bite of his prime rib.

Dessert was Baked Alaska, flambéed with Blue Curaçao. Once everyone was served, the head waiter announced, “Thanks to you all, we beat the record yesterday for the most marriages in a day on San Angelo - by ONE!” 

Lee looked at Amanda and mouthed ‘no we didn’t’ before winking with a sly half-smile on his lips.

“I toast you all and wish you every happiness!” He took a sip of his blue drink, and on that cue the dining room staff began to ting their glasses with silverware. “You know what that means! Time for the newlyweds to kiss!”

Amanda grimaced recalling Lee’s resentment at being ordered to perform. But as he took her hand and leaned in close, he whispered, “This isn’t phony, this is for real.”

And his kiss was _so real_. Their wedding kiss had been a mere hint at what was possible. This kiss was imbued with purpose and clear intention.

It was exhilarating and Lee very much wanted more. But most of all he knew he’d never forgive himself if their partnership - their friendship - was ruined because of a day of flirting, blue drinks, and a rushed decision to pursue something physical.

Amanda felt Lee’s desire as he pressed his lips to hers - it mirrored her own. She could’ve kept kissing him for ages under slightly different circumstances. If they were going to get physically involved, she wanted to do it on a clearer head than one that’d spent the day in the sun and dinner drinking blue cocktails.

When they parted, the sexual tension that’d been brewing all day eased somewhat, and they both took a metaphorical step back and a literal deep breath.

Throughout the rest of the evening they didn’t shy from holding hands or standing close. The atmosphere between them simply took on a quieter tone, a slower pace. They watched the evening’s entertainment - a buxom flamenco guitarist who’d once been married to Xavier Cugat, then played a couple of hands of blackjack in the casino before going back to their suite.

Amanda took her turn in the bathroom first and was dozing off when she felt Lee get into bed. She could smell the soap on his hands and the mint of his toothpaste. It felt right to have him next to her.

Once Lee was under the covers, he turned toward Amanda and watched the steady rise and fall of her breathing as she slipped into sleep. He smiled, knowing that he would again have a sound night’s sleep.

END CHAPTER TWO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The concept of the two leads making up varying backstories for themselves is from one of my favorite episodes of the 90s sitcom “Mad About You” (Season 2, Episode 19 ‘Two Tickets to Paradise’), which never fails to put me into stitches of laughter. Also, apologies to the nations and peoples of Curaçao and Iceland, circus performers and costume designers, monkey trainers, cattle drivers, Old West sex workers, and alpaca breeders.


	3. Sea of Love

Lee woke up early, refreshed and invigorated. It was a ‘day at sea’ and he planned to take full advantage of the relaxation the ship offered.

Starting with a jog on deck, he ordered room service breakfast for Amanda - just coffee and fruit for him, and ended his morning tasks with a shower.

Lee emerged with just a towel slung low around his hips and droplets of water clinging to his well-toned chest. “Oh, hey. You’re awake.”

“Yep. Where’d you go this morning?” Amanda asked, her eyes flitting around while trying not to ogle any one particular part of him, yet wanting to ogle  _ all _ the parts.

“For a jog.” As he began, there was a knock and Lee went to the door as he spoke. “Then to order breakfast.”

Still in only his towel, Lee took the tray and carefully walked it out to the balcony before dashing back to tip the steward.

“I’ll get my things and shower so you can get dressed,” Amanda said as she went to her suitcase.

“I thought we could spend some time at the pool today.”

“In that case, you shouldn’t get  _ too _ dressed.” Realizing that might have sounded more suggestive than she’d meant, Amanda clarified, “You should put on a bathing suit, I mean.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Yeah.”

======

With the sparkling Caribbean Sea as a backdrop, they lingered on the balcony long after breakfast was gone, enjoying the lazy morning, and occasionally letting their fingers idly play off one another’s. The breather they’d taken the previous night had leveled their heads and they each felt reassured that  whatever lay ahead was well considered.

Eventually they roused to gather their things for sitting poolside. Amanda wore a sarong and an open blouse over her swimsuit while Lee donned swim trunks and a short-sleeved button down shirt. Once on deck, they split up and scouted for couples that looked like they’d had enough pool time - hovering like vultures ready to swoop in on vacated lounge chairs. Lee’s sharp eye and quick maneuvering scored two loungers between a pillar and a windbreak. It was an island of relative privacy on the packed pool deck.

“Nice catch!”

“Yes, I am,” Lee said as he started to unbutton his shirt.

“Are we going to start that game again?” Amanda shook her head; there was no way he wasn’t undoing those buttons  _ that  _ slowly on purpose.

“I got you to call me hunky, so… seems like a good game to me.”

After getting mostly settled, Lee offered to get them drinks.

“As long as it’s not blue. How about a club soda?” Amanda requested.

As Lee was returning, he saw that she’d taken off her wrap and shirt. She was stretched back in her semi-reclined lounge chair, wearing a high-cut navy blue one piece bathing suit and looking, well, ‘hot as hell’ was what immediately came to his mind.

After standing in place for a beat or two to recover himself, Lee approached. “Here you go.”

“Thanks. What’d you get?”

“Heineken. Definitely not blue.”

======

Realizing that she was nodding off as she read her book, Amanda adjusted her chair to lay flat. She positioned herself on her stomach, with her head turned toward Lee’s chair. Eyes closed, she hummed a sigh of contentment.

Lee did his best to comprehend the sentence in his John le Carré novel while his eyes and brain preferred to focus on Amanda’s gorgeous figure. Giving up, he put the book down and indulged in a slow rake of his eyes up her body. Just as he’d gotten to the intimate curve of her backside, Amanda opened one eye and looked at him.

“Nice view?”

Startled out of his intense study, Lee opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.

“Keep lookin’. I’ll get my turn later.” She reached out her hand to his and closed her eyes again.

Lee gave a short laugh and lay back, continuing his admiring tour.

The heat of mid-afternoon peaked and they sought the relative cool of the pool. After sitting on the edge and dangling their feet, Amanda slipped in first. She dunked all the way under, touched the bottom with her toes, and propelled back up. She smoothed her hair back and held onto the side of the pool right between Lee’s legs.

“Nice view?” he asked, looking down at her.

“I’ll say.”

“View’s pretty great from here, too.”

Amanda tugged at his feet and Lee let her pull him in. Encircling her with his arms, Amanda tilted her head and leaned in for a kiss.

“Phony?” Lee asked.

“Not even a  _ tiny _ bit.” Shook her head and kissed him again.

The feel of her body pressed against him had Lee willing himself not to get too aroused in this very public place.

“It’s getting pretty crowded,” Amanda said thankful for the distraction. His strong arms, toned chest, and the way he’d been sliding his foot up and down her calf was dizzying.

Just as they were climbing out, she heard her name being called. A perky woman wearing enormous sunglasses waved.

“Amanda! Were you able to reach the zoo last night? Did the egg hatch yet?”

“No, not yet.” Amanda ticed her head to the side.

“Fingers crossed it’s not until you get back!”

“Ha! Yeah…. That’s life in the penguin biz!”

When Amanda caught up to Lee, he was talking with an older couple who were staring at him with admiration. Lee shrugged and said nonchalantly, “Well… they don’t diffuse themselves.”

“Hello, dear.” Amanda slipped her arm around his waist.

“Opps, here’s the missus, I’d better get going.”

Navigating the maze of sunbathers and lounge chairs, Lee and Amanda wove their way back to their chairs.

“Okay, I admit it, you were right,” she said.

“Say that again.”

“I said, you were ri--” Amanda gave him a  _ look _ . “You heard me.”

Lee swooped in for a kiss before she continued, he loved how easy the physicality between them was.

“I’m having a hard time remembering who I told what to. I almost forgot about the penguin egg. I might have to start claiming amnesia.”

He squinted at her and was going to ask about the egg, when he darted his eyes over her shoulder. “Oh, God, there’s Dixie and Tad.”

”Bjorn! Amanda!” Dixie called as they approached.

“Gaman að sjá þig aftur.”

“Little warmer than Iceland, huh Bjorn?” Tad teased.

Lee nodded his head and looked sad. “Ja.”

“Hey, you guys aren’t leaving are you? If you are, we’d love to take over your spot - it’s sure crowded out here.”

“Please, take our chairs. We were just heading in,” Amanda said decisively.

======

“I was counting on them being in their cabin the rest of the cruise. I might have to brush up on my Icelandic. I’m running out of phrases,” Lee groused.

They whiled away the rest of the afternoon playing shuffleboard (very badly), skeet shooting (Amada refused, Lee won a few friendly bets), and dozing off on their balcony as they held hands and talked.

======

After she’d finished pinning up her hair, Amanda stepped into her shoes while also trying to fasten the clasp of her necklace. Sensing Lee behind her, she glanced back as he silently connected the ends of her necklace, and brushed his fingers across the exposed skin of her neck and over her shoulders, which felt as silky smooth as they looked.

“Okay, you’re good now.” Lee turned her around. “You look fantastic.” 

“Thanks.”

“Ready for dinner?”

“Yep.”

In the hallway, a couple brisked by them calling out “Buonasera!”

Lee pinned Amanda with a questioning look.

“Um, we’re a nice Italian couple hoping to bring Chicago deep dish pizza to Napoli?” She fiddled with his bow tie and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Lee shook his head. “Let’s hope we can score a table for two at dinner.”

They ended up sitting with a charming older couple from Ohio. Herb had been a widower, and Alice a widow. A mutual friend played matchmaker and it was a second chance at love for them both. Lee and Amanda didn’t tell one single lie about themselves. Except the one about working for International Federal Film.

“What’s the show tonight?” Lee asked after dinner, positive that Amanda would know the schedule.

“The Magical Musical Stylings of Morris Maderling at... ” She consulted the ship’s daily newsletter. “8:30 and 10:30. I’m thinking…”

“No?”

“Definitely no.”

They opted for dancing in the lounge again, which was a lot more crowded than the previous evening. 

Joining the other couples on the floor, Lee looked at her appreciatively as they came together. She was wearing the same white dress from two nights ago - he’d noticed then just how temptingly visible it made her nipples. Now, his fingers practically ached to feel them under his touch - gently at first, with the back of his knuckles grazing them into even harder peaks, and then more assertively rolling each one between his thumb and index finger, feeling how responsive and firm they were.

Amanda loved how he held her close - his arms leading them around the dance floor and his chest, warm and solid against hers. With Lee’s body pressed snugly to her and the way they were dancing, there was a sensuous friction between them.

When Amanda pulled him even closer, Lee thought he’d better distract his mind before his rising arousal took over.

“Amanda…” Lee began after clearing his throat. “You knew Miles and Jillian were frauds and you figured out that Lady Bromfield didn’t love her husband. Where’d you learn to read people so well? It’s not a Junior Trailblazer badge, is it?”

“Oh, I don’t know… I’ve just always found people fascinating. I read a few books about body language and then did a lot of people watching.” Amanda shrugged. “It all made perfect sense to me. You know… the way people physically interact depending on their feelings. Most of the time they don’t even realize it, it’s just instinct.”

“Like that couple over there.” Lee gestured to the left with his head. “I wouldn’t place any bets on their marriage lasting - they’re barely touching.”

Amanda watched them. “It’s not just that. There’s no eye contact and their postures are stiff and awkward. They should at least be moving together in time with the music.”

Taking the lead in their dance, Amanda spun them around. “See those two, over my shoulder? Same pose - maybe even farther apart, but their bodies are in tune with each other, they’re moving like one.”

“Yeah,” Lee agreed, thinking that was just how he felt dancing with her.

“And they’re looking at each other like no one else in the universe exists. There’s magic there; that’s love.”

Amanda looked at Lee and felt his green-hazel eyes draw her inexorably in.

“Magic, huh?” His voice was low and breathy. He would gladly drown in her gaze forever.

The world around them seemed to fade and their senses registered only one another.

“Yeah.”

Lee felt more than heard her reply as their lips met.

======

Fumbling a few times with the key to the suite, Lee and Amanda came crashing through the door and resumed kissing immediately. Amanda kicked a leg back to shove the door shut and Lee reached around her, securing the lock before getting both of his hands back on her.

Sliding his jacket over his shoulders and down, Amanda broke their kiss to hang it on the back of a chair. Seeing Lee’s expression, she assured him she wouldn’t stop to hang everything up. “Just the jacket - it’s the hardest to press.”

He huffed a little laugh and pulled her close again, his hands on her waist. Amanda slid the knot of his bow tie loose, and used the ends to pull him into a slow and sensual kiss.

Lee’s hands roamed her back while she worked at undoing the buttons of his shirt. Nearly at the bottom, she tugged the tails out of his pants and pulled back. Admiring his chest, she ran her hands over the exposed skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Noting a scar here and there, she smoothed her fingertips over each one. Lee closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

When Amanda undid the final button on his shirt he opened his eyes and recognized the arousal in her look. He raised his hand to caress her cheek and then slid his hand down. At first his fingers played at the strap of her dress, then he turned his hand to brush his knuckles over a nipple. Her hands stilled on his chest and she let her head fall back against the door, relishing his touch.

When Lee bent forward to kiss her neck, Amanda reached to cup the back of his head and sighed. He nipped and kissed his way toward her ear while she tried to divest him of his shirt, which got stuck at his wrists.

“Cufflinks,” they said at the same time.

While Lee undid on one, Amanda made short work of the other. Lee pocketed the pair, Amanda tossed the shirt and tie on the floor.

Turning to put his back against the door, Lee pulled her hard against him with one arm around her waist and the other hand exploring the curve of her backside. Amanda gripped his hips and ground into him as their tongues pressed together with hot, openmouthed kisses.

Lee groaned as her pelvis angled into his erection. “Amanda…” he said between kisses. “Shall we take this somewhere more comfortable?”

“Definitely.”

She took his hand and led him to the bed, where she sat on the edge and looked up into his adoring eyes as she removed the pins holding up her hair.

As soon as her hair tumbled down, Lee ran his fingers through the gorgeous waves. Amanda leaned forward and kissed his abdomen while hugging him close and then reached to feel his strong and sexy butt. Snaking one hand between them, she palmed his erection through his pants and started to undo his belt buckle.

Lee took over and slid the belt out to toss aside while she undid his button and zipper fly. With his boxers exposed and his erection straining against the material, Amanda squeezed and stroked him.

“I see ‘tiny’ isn’t applicable here,” she said.

“Have I mentioned that you’re a tease?”

Lee quickly shucked off his shoes and socks and pulled his pants down and off. Once done, he took her by the shoulders and lay her back on the bed, pushing the straps of her dress aside to kiss along the top swells of her breasts.

“Hang on,” she said sitting up.

Amanda stood and took off her dress. Standing in just a pair of tasteful ivory lace underwear, Lee was a very appreciative audience.

She lay back down and as he kissed her lips, his hands reached to explore the curves and angles of her body. Her skin was so smooth and supple and to feel it under his fingers and pressed against his bare chest was intoxicating.

Pulling back to look at her seriously, Lee asked, “Is this too much?”

“Not nearly enough,” she said, putting a hand down the back of his boxers and hitching a leg up over his hip.

“Good, because there’s no way I could’ve slept in this bed with you and not wanted to…”

“Me either.” They kissed to seal the deal.

Lee held onto the back of the thigh that was hiked up on his hip and bent down to kiss her breasts. She raked a hand through his soft hair as he slid his hand higher. He teased his fingers along the edge of her panties. The dampness he felt from her arousal and her sharp intake of breath had him arching his hips into hers and seeking her lips for a searing kiss.

Encouraging Amanda onto her back, Lee looked down - a tumble of hair across the pillow, flushed cheeks, her eyes were dark and dilated and seemed to look right into his heart. He wanted to see her, to watch as he touched her.

He stroked her cheek and ran his thumb over her parted lips. Amanda held his wrist and nibbled on the pad of this thumb before sucking on it briefly. He dotted quick kisses across her chest and the roundness of her breasts before leaning back again to roll a nipple between his thumb and index finger.

“I’ve been thinking about doing that ever since you wore that dress the other night.”

Amanda clutched the hair at the back of his head and yanked him to her. The surety of his touches and that he’d been thinking those things about her spurred her on. Her tongue moved purposefully over his as his hands kept exploring and teasing her nipples. She wound her hand down between them and beneath his boxers where his erection was long, hard, and smooth. His hips thrust into her hand and they found a rhythm that amplified their foreplay.

Lee started to kiss his way down her neck to her chest. Holding and pinching at one breast, he kissed and sucked on the other - first around the areola, then tightly at her nipple, his tongue flicking back and forth.

Amanda continued to stroke him, varying the pattern to tickle her fingers down low and then bringing them up to find the beading moisture at his tip. He ran his hand down her side, marveling at her lithe figure and squeezing her hip before sliding his hand under the waistband of her panties. He tangled his fingers through her tight curls then reached to tease apart her lips.

She could feel how wet she was for him, and when Lee moved back up to kiss her, her body positively hummed with arousal. She felt like the pleasure that roiled between them could be traced all the way back to that first day at the train station. He had needed her then; he needed her now. And she needed him.

Lee removed his hand from her underwear and scooted down on the bed, smoothing his hands over her as he went. He slid her underwear off, then ran his hand back up the inside of her thigh. He looked at her as he traced a finger over her opening. Amanda sucked in a breath and closed her eyes.

“Amanda…” Lee prompted. “Look at me.”

She opened her eyes and watched as he used his fingers to stroke and glide over her wet folds. He met her eyes with an impassioned look as he bent to kiss her mound and began to dip a finger into her. With one hand, he parted her lips to lick long strokes over her clit, as the other thrust at her opening.

Amanda was hyper aware of everywhere their bodies touched. Even the feel of his hair slipping between her fingers as she ran her hands through seemed to elevate her erotic need.

“C’mere,” she said hoarsely.

Lee raised his head and moved up along her side, still caressing her folds and dipping his finger deep inside.

“I don’t have any protection with me.” He gave her a quick kiss, thinking that even without a condom there was plenty of pleasure to be had between them.

“That’s okay, I do.” Amanda said as she tamed down his sexy mussed up hair. 

“You do?” Lee looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“Yes. And why shouldn’t I?”

“Uh…”

Saving him from himself, Amanda provided context. “I volunteer every year at the Arlington Community Center’s health fair and they always give out those little gift bags with free samples. I found mine in the bottom of the tote I took to the pool. It’s got dental floss, mouthwash, bandaids, other first aid stuff, sunscreen - which I used today--”

“Amanda…”

“And about a half dozen condoms,” she concluded as she got up to fetch them.

“Think that’ll be enough?” He was very much enjoying the view as Amanda retrieved the condoms from her luggage.

Walking back to the bed, she challenged, “Let’s find out.”

Amanda tossed one of the condoms to him, set the rest on the nightstand, and lay down again. Discovering he still had his boxers on, she nudged Lee to lift his hips and they pulled them off together. His erection had waned slightly during their brief intermission, but as Amanda stroked his length, he surged back to full size.

Lee turned on his side to face her and ran his fingers through her hair as they locked eyes.

“I want you,” she whispered.

Lee dispensed with the wrapper on the condom and unrolled it on himself. Once he was done, Amanda pulled him on top and they kissed with passionate, openmouthed kisses, their tongues teasing and caressing.

Amanda shifted and grabbed his hips to align him between her legs. She reached down, took his erection and slid it over her lips and clit several times before guiding him to her opening.

Lee closed his eyes as she pleasured herself with his cock, then moved his hips to carefully push himself inside. He pulled out a bit and came back, before pausing and repeating the move.

Lowering his head, he asked softly, “Good?” as he gradually increased the depth and speed of his thrusts.

“So good… but still not enough.”

She grabbed his butt and pulled him to her, hard, wanting to feel him as deeply as possible.

“Oh, Amanda,” he breathed before pulling nearly all the way out and driving back into her over and over.

Their foreplay had her so turned on that the way his pelvic bone was hitting her clit with every thrust, she was almost over the edge. She pressed her hands at his hips to nudge him just the right way, encouraging him to grind against her more each time. “Like that.”

The delicious tension between them peaked and an intense orgasm rolled through her body. She held his hips to hers and he rocked back and forth as she rode out the last of the waves.

“Enough?” Lee asked.

“Almost,” she teased as she kissed him and adjusted her position to hook her legs high around his waist.

Backing out and then very slowly pushing his way in again several times, Lee wanted to feel every inch of her in painstaking detail. Amanda’s clit was still hypersensitive from her climax, but his hard length moving against her walls was making her delirious. Bit by bit, Lee increased his tempo until he was thrusting hard and panting even harder. He wanted this to never end, but also wanted to come so badly.

“Ohhh…” he gasped out his orgasm and then rested his forehead on hers, his eyes closed in ecstasy.

After resting a moment to catch his breath, Lee grabbed the base of the condom and pulled out. He rolled to the side and off the bed to toss it in the trash. He returned a minute later with two warm, damp washcloths. He tossed one to Amanda and proceeded to wipe himself off with the other. Once done, he looked up to find her watching. 

“Nice view,” she complimented.

He blushed and started to look away.

“Come here,” she said, holding out her hand. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“I just wasn’t expecting to be watched.”

“I hope you can get used to it.”

Lee took her hand and let her pull him down next to her. She played with his hair while he took the washcloth she was holding and ran it between her breasts and toward the juncture of her legs. He ran the cloth over her lips and between her folds, then up to her clit, circling playfully a few times.

“Keep that up and you just might get one more out of me.”

“Show me,” he asked as he leaned in to claim a brief kiss.

Amanda took the washcloth and tossed it aside before placing his fingers back on her clit and setting the right pace. She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of his fingers and his breath hitting her ear as he whispered ever so slightly naughty encouragements. As she was hit with the certainty that Lee was putting every ounce of concentration toward her pleasure, she came again.

They slept in each other’s arms through the night - waking occasionally to kiss and shift positions before falling peacefully back asleep.

END CHAPTER THREE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to bomb squads, zoo keepers, penguin specialists, and Italians with a love for deep dish pizza.


	4. Under the Sea

Just as on the two other nights they’d shared the giant bed, Lee slept better than he had in years. He was pretty sure Amanda was awake and watching him, so it wasn’t a surprise when he opened his eyes to find they were practically nose-to-nose.

“Hi.” Amanda smiled at him.

“Hi, yourself.”

They puckered their lips and shared a sweet kiss. Then another. And another one that wasn’t quite as sweet, and which melded into one that was decidedly sultry. They retraced the caresses and touches that the other had responded to the night before… while learning even more ways their bodies could find pleasure together.

With his morning erection and Amanda’s kisses, Lee was very ready. He paid extra attention to her as he kissed her neck, pinched at her nipples, and circled his fingers over her clit. She was definitely wet, but there was a different tenor to the way she was reacting to his lovemaking. 

“Amanda...” he began to ask, wanting to be sure she was feeling as good as he was.

“Probably no fireworks for me this morning. But this all feels fantastic.”

This time, she unwrapped the condom and sat astride his thighs as she rolled it over his erection. After caressing his balls and stroking him briefly, she raised up and guided him inside. Lee was sure he’d never been treated to anything as intimate or arousing.

Amanda leaned forward to steady herself with her hands on his torso, while he splayed his fingers over her hips and luxuriated how she felt on top of him.

Tugging on her arm, Lee pulled her down into a deep kiss. She shifted the angle and rhythm of her hips to keep them as connected as possible as they moved together. Between the friction of her pelvic bone against him and the way his tongue was lapping at hers, she thought she just might see some fireworks. 

Lee moaned into her mouth as he came, while Amanda continued to kiss and grind against him until she was climaxing.

“Wow,” he said as she rested her head in the crook of his neck with her knees tucked up at his sides.

She let out a breathy laugh. “Surprised me too.”

“Nice way to start the day.” Lee ran his hands up and down her back and placed a few random kisses in her hair.

“Sure is.” Amanda sat up and gave him a solid kiss on the lips. She circled her fingers around the base of his flagging erection to keep the condom secure and rolled off. “You want the shower first?”

“Not together?” he joked. Unlike the tub, the shower was miniscule.

“We’ll try out the tub later,” she countered.

“Go ahead and shower. Still up for snorkeling today?”

“You bet.”

“I’ll order breakfast so we don’t have to stop at the buffet. I want you all to myself today.”

======

Since they would be snorkeling, Amanda didn’t bother doing much with her hair - or makeup - she just swept it up into a small ponytail. She dressed while Lee showered and when breakfast was delivered, she set it up on the balcony. Lee joined a few minutes later, sitting down and taking the coffee Amanda held out for him.

“Thanks. Weather looks good for snorkeling - no wind, nice and calm.”

Lee was wearing a pair of shorts and a guayabera shirt, on which he’d only done a couple of the lower buttons.

“You look cute,” Amanda said.

“Ah-ha!” Lee exclaimed in triumph. “Hang on... not hunky?”

“It’s the hair - you didn’t blow it dry, so it’s all floppy and cute.”

“Okay, I’ll take that.”

“I like this vacation look on you.”

They leaned together from their chairs and kissed sweetly.

“It’s almost too bad we don’t have another day at sea. I could sit out here and kiss you all day,” Lee declared.

“Oh, I think we’ll find a way to work some kissing into our day.”

======

Once off the ship, Lee found a taxi to take them to a small cove he knew, where the cruise excursions didn’t go. The winding roads through lush foliage and glimpses here and there of the azure waters were breathtaking. Eventually, the cab pulled off the road and wound its way down to an inlet, where the driver let them off. Lee arranged for him to pick them up in four hours, and they headed to the beach.

There were a few sets of tourists, but it was mostly a quiet and secluded spot. They paid for the use of a couple of lounge chairs, an umbrella, a small table, endless refreshments, and snorkeling gear.

Amanda arranged her towel on her chair and when she stood up, Lee was right in front of her, attempting to look down her blouse.

“Hi,” he said, lifting his hands to fiddle with the top button.

“Hello.”

Continuing to admire her, Lee started undoing the buttons… until he realized she was wearing a bikini top. He raised his eyebrows and looked up. “Bikini?”

“Yep.”

“Good thing you didn’t wear this at the pool yesterday, they’d have taken us to the brig for lewd acts.

He leaned down to kiss her as he slid the last button through its buttonhole, and ran his hands around her waist and up toward her breasts.

“I don’t want to end up in the custody of the local police either, so watch your hands there, mister.”

======

Once they were in the water up to Amanda’s chest, Lee outlined the basics of snorkeling and they put on their flippers. Lee held onto her mask and snorkel while she experimented with swimming.

“Don’t use your arms,” he called to her. “Use your legs to do the work and let your body float along.”

Lee watched as she followed his advice and admired how the curve of her rear bobbed above the waterline while she floated face down.

Once they’d both put on their masks and snorkels, they held hands and dunked down a few times so Amanda could get used to breathing through the snorkel and the feel of the mask on her face.

“There’s a whole world under there!”

Lee laughed. “Yes there is.”

They explored the cove and the edge of the reef, where they watched the brightly colored reef-dwelling fish. Now and then, they saw large dark shadows passing by in the murky waters where the reef dropped off into the depths of the sea.

“Phillip and Jamie would love this,” Amanda said as they took a break and treaded water.

“We should come back sometime.” The idea seemed like the most natural thing in the world and the suggestion came out before he realized the implications - they hadn’t talked at all about what would happen between them after the cruise. “Uh, I mean, you should bring your mother and the boys here.”

“Yeah.”

Amanda let the comment and Lee’s fumble pass right by. She barely knew what was happening between them, nevermind how it could - or would - figure into their ‘regular lives,’ much less her family.

======

They lazed in their lounge chairs, sipping on ridiculous tropical drinks with tiny umbrellas, and talking about everything and nothing. Lee told her about scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, where he’d come face to face with a hammerhead shark. And Amanda impressed him with her knowledge of Australian sheep stations, which she admitted was mostly gleaned from reading  _ The Thorn Birds _ .

When Amanda stood up to stretch, she found herself being tumbled into Lee’s lap, with his arms around her waist. They wriggled around to find the best position to balance themselves on Lee’s chair, which left Amanda halfway on top of him and both of them laughing.

She leaned down for a kiss, which turned into several long kisses as they enjoyed each other’s company and bodies. Lee’s hands wandered to her backside, where he squeezed and pulled her to him, pressing her against his erection. Amanda ran her fingers over his torso and up into his hair, before running them back down to circle over his nipple, which elicited a deep intake of breath. Amanda smiled even as they continued to kiss, enjoying the discovery of this new sensitive spot. 

Tapering off the passion of their kisses and touches, Amanda rested her head on Lee’s shoulder and closed her eyes while he caressed her back with long, lazy strokes. They dozed on and off until the fact that the lounge chair they were sharing was really meant for just one adult became clear.

“My arm is completely asleep,” Lee said.

Amanda let out a breathy laugh, sat up, and got up rather ungracefully. She plopped down into her own chair and fished in her bag for her watch.

“We need to get packing up anyway.”

They gathered their things, returned the rented snorkeling equipment, and got to the road just as their taxi driver pulled up.

“Looks like it’s going to rain this afternoon,” Amanda observed as they drove back into town.

“Just a passing shower or two,” their cab driver said knowingly.

“I hope so.”

They got out at Port Lucaya marketplace and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering in and out of shops of all sorts: tacky t-shirt stores, expensive jewelry shops, folk art kiosks, drink stands, and on and on.

Amanda bought her mother a bright green batik wrap that featured a pattern of hibiscus flowers, and she picked out one in a deep blue for herself. Stepping outside, she met back up with Lee who presented her with a coconut daiquiri slushie. 

“It’s a virgin. I thought we could use some rehydrating.”

“Perfect, thanks.”

Just as they took their first sips, the clouds opened up and it began to rain. Looking at each other, they said in unison, “A passing shower.” They waited out the downpour under the awning of a shop. And waited and waited. The shower eventually ended, but not until they’d waited nearly a half-an-hour.

“Well, he didn’t say how long it would take to pass…” Amanda joked.

Happy to have a dry walk to the shuttle stop, they waited in the queue for the next bus back to the ship. Once it came, the seats filled up quickly. Lee began to stand to offer his seat to a very pregnant woman but Amanda hopped up and perched on Lee’s lap, giving her seat to the expectant mother.

“I like this option a lot better,” he said, putting his arms around her waist and kissing her neck.

“Mmmmm. Me too.”

Lee continued to place kisses on her neck and nibbled at a sumptuous spot just under her ear. Amanda wiggled her hips encouragingly.

“I think we’ve been spending too much time around Tad and Dixie. I can’t keep my hands or lips off of you no matter where we are,” Lee said as Amanda laughed.

Back aboard the  _ Princess Martha _ , they showered, changed, and set out to grab a quick bite from the buffet for dinner.

As they were on their way out of the buffet - while finishing up soft-serve cones - a scrawny and overly-tanned man sidled up to Lee.

“Sure beats tinned beans while out on an Egyptian dig!” he exclaimed with a heavy Yorkshire accent.

“Who was that?” Amanda asked after he’d walked off.

“Oh… Uh, that was Leo. I met him in town, while you were buying your souvenirs.”

“I thought we weren’t making up stories about ourselves anymore.”

“Force of habit. It just happened.” Lee shrugged.

Amanda chuckled and shook her head. “Well, I’ve given up my lying ways.”

They walked through the grand hall and sat down to listen to the steel drum band that was playing.

“Lee, look,” Amanda leaned over to whisper.

“What? Where?”

Amanda pointed at the glass elevator that was rising above the plaza. Lee looked up to see Dixie and Tad, engaged in their favorite pastime.

“Do you think they know it’s a glass elevator?”

“I’m pretty sure they don’t care, and I’m starting to understand.” Lee illustrated just how much he could relate, by coaxing Amanda to come and sit in his lap. 

Amanda smiled and leaned back against his chest, feeling content and safe... and loved. She pushed aside the troublesome implications of that feeling, which threatened to put a damper on their last night of the cruise.

Lee took a deep breath, his nose nuzzled into her neck. He sighed and tried not to think about what complications their physical relationship might bring when the cruise was over. He was just so happy and at ease right here and right now, and he never wanted that feeling to end.

They sat that way until the band finished their set and their fellow audience members began to disperse.

“What do you say we try out the tub?” he whispered in her ear.

“Absolutely.”

======

They were soon in their suite, quickly shedding their clothes and getting distracted by touches and kisses as they waited for the tub to fill. Once it was nearly full, Lee turned the jets on and they climbed in.

“It really is enormous,” Lee commented.

Amanda scooted next to him and reached between his legs. “Not yet,” she teased saucily. “Not exactly tiny right now, but I think we can get you to ‘enormous’.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Lee pulled her closer.

“You’d better.”

They kissed as Amanda stroked his burgeoning erection. Lee caressed his fingers through her hair and down her back, dipping his hands into the water and running them back up. Moving one hand around to her front, Lee caressed the softness of her breasts, splaying his fingers over one of them and pinching her nipple between his index and middle fingers.

“You’re good at that,” Amanda said as she came in for a deep kiss.

Lee moaned into her mouth and redoubled his efforts, striving to live up to her compliment. Amanda hummed her appreciation and momentarily stopped caressing his erection as she enjoyed his touches.

She broke the kiss and reached for the bar of soap from the edge of the tub. Shifting to straddle Lee’s upper thighs, Amanda soaped up her hands with a thick lather and reached down to grasp his erection again.

The soap provided just enough lubrication to facilitate the strokes she was administering. Lee closed his eyes and tipped his head back against the edge of the tub as she moved her hand up and down. He couldn’t believe how amazing her grip on him felt. Her touch was masterful and the soap’s slick contrast to the friction the water provided was tantalizing.

Amanda watched as the tempo of his chest rising and falling accelerated. When Lee opened his eyes and gazed at her with his arousal-darkened eyes, her own breath came in faster huffs. Lee sat up and used both of his hands to caress her breasts and tease her nipples while he kissed her neck. Sucking and nipping his way to her lips, he didn’t think he’d last much longer.

Amanda leaned her forehead against his and they both watched as she continued to masturbate him while also stimulating herself. On each down stroke, she rocked her hips so that her thumb would meet her clit with an electrifying jolt.

Seeing what she was doing, Lee reached down to take over so she could enjoy the same continuous pleasure that she was giving him. His deft fingers circled her clit and reached to dip into her core. As her orgasm began, Amanda used her free hand to grab the back of his neck and pull him into a hot, openmouthed kiss. Lee’s climax followed, and he spurted into the water between them.

Still breathing heavily, they kissed sweetly and caressed each other lightly before untangling their limbs. Noticing the pool of water they’d sloshed over the edge of the tub, Lee grabbed a towel and put it on the floor to mitigate the flooding.

They took turns rinsing off in the tiny shower and got ready for bed. Sated and happy, they lay together in a sleepy haze as they touched and caressed. They talked quietly about the fish they’d seen snorkeling, how hot she’d looked in her bikini, how sexy his chest was when covered in droplets of water as he walked on the beach, their fellow passengers on the ship, and about a million other details of the previous few days.

Leisurely kisses and soft touches over a couple of hours gave way to more and more sensual petting until they were practically making love in slow motion. They shifted positions so that Lee was holding her from behind as he kissed her neck and reached down and around her to slick his fingers over her wet folds. Amanda pressed her hips back into his growing erection and closed her eyes relishing the feel of their bodies against one another.

Lee rolled away momentarily and Amanda heard him opening a condom. He returned to her and positioned his erection at her opening while she lifted her leg to allow better access. Lee resumed his sensual touches at her nipples and eventually back down to the juncture of her legs. Angling her hips backwards, Amanda coaxed his cock into her and Lee thrust slowly in and out.

“Turn over, on your knees” Lee whispered as he pulled all the way out.

Amanda rolled to her stomach and got on all fours. With her hips aimed high, she reached to help guide Lee in from behind. The feel of his erection filling her so completely in this primal position was intense and exhilarating.

Lee moaned a grunt of pleasure as he buried himself inside. His fingers gripped her hips hard as he pulled her close and pushed impossibly deep into her. Amanda rocked forward as he pulled out and they came together again, over and over.

“Ohh, yeah,” he breathed at the sexy sight of Amanda reaching up to stimulate her clit. 

Amanda thought she might take leave of her senses with how overwhelmingly  _ good _ Lee felt as he thrust into her deep and hard, and with absolute abandon.

Lee’s head was spinning as he buried himself up to the hilt inside her - so hot and tight. He felt like it was both too much and like he’d never be able to get enough of her.

As Amanda began to pant and moan her orgasm, Lee adjusted his strokes into shorter thrusts and then held her hips to his as he reached his climax with loud gasps.

Carefully withdrawing, Lee rolled onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes trying to recover from his lightheadedness. Amanda collapsed onto her stomach and let out a long, shaky breath. Their hearts slowed to a more normal rate and their breathing became more regular.

“Amanda, that was…” He could barely conceptualize how he felt in his own mind, forget trying to put it into words.

“Yeah. It sure was.” Amanda groped her arm around to find his hand to hold. She understood his inability to describe their lovemaking.

Eventually they rose from the bed and cleaned themselves up before returning to snuggle under the covers and sleep until morning.

END CHAPTER FOUR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies to Yorkshire archaeologists.


	5. Beyond the Sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this chapter right after Christopher Plummer passed away. Captain Von Trapp was one of my very first crushes and so I couldn’t pass up the chance to insert a bit of a tribute to “The Sound of Music” into the dialogue. Plus, we know Amanda’s seen it at least seven times!

Their last morning together on the  _ Princess Martha _ , Lee and Amanda woke early - despite the very late hour when they’d finally gone to sleep.

Lee nudged his nose into the crook of her neck and breathed deeply. She smelled like herself plus the coconut-scented shampoo from the boat, and sex. With him. He wanted to memorize the scent.

“Mmmmm,” Amanda intoned, enjoying his breath on her neck and the way he’d started to kiss her just behind her ear.

“Morning,” Lee whispered.

Amanda rolled onto her side to face him, smiling as they looked into each other’s eyes.

“You’re gorgeous.”

“Not ‘cute’?” she asked.

“At the moment, I was thinking more along the lines of ‘sexy’.”

“That works.”

“It works  _ very well _ for me,” Lee said, illustrating his point by taking her hand and placing it on his erection.

“Right back at ya.” Amanda guided his hand between her legs so he could feel how wet she was.

Lee propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at her while he splayed her lower lips apart and slipped his fingers over her clit to her opening. As he bent to flick his tongue over her nipple, he dipped his middle finger inside her, which elicited a moan from them both.

They laughed at their coordinated vocalizations and Lee crawled down the bed to settle between her legs. He lapped at her opening while manipulating her clit with his thumb, using the fingers on his other hand to delve inside.

Amanda ran her fingers through his hair as he attended to her and made adjustments according to the noises she made in reaction. Her body had been so keyed up over the last couple of days, she ramped up and over the top quickly. Amanda grabbed fistfulls of his hair as she shook with pleasure.

Lee softened his touches, and raised his head to see Amanda beaming down at him. She’d never seen him looking so sexy and cute at the same time. It was a sight she wanted to see many, many more times, she didn’t think she’d ever get over it.

“Come here, I want you,” she said.

Lee wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shuffled back up to her on his knees. Amanda had opened a condom and she unrolled it over his cock as he knelt next to her before taking his hand and tugging him to her. She opened her legs and raised them up high as he pushed inside. Lee lowered himself and held her tightly as they made love, with her arms grasping him close.

This time was much slower than their coupling from the previous night and Lee vowed to remember exactly how she felt and looked and smelled - just in case this was the last time they were together like this.

Afterwards, they took turns showering and getting ready for the day while they each contemplated how they were feeling as the cruise ended.

Lee dipped his knees to get his head under the spray of the shower- it wasn’t designed for anyone over about 5’9”. He sighed and ran his hands over his hair to make sure the shampoo was fully rinsed out.

He and Amanda hadn’t known each other for all  _ that  _ long. Though, in their business, the work forged fast bonds, and in the past year and a half, they’d worked in some very intense and bonding situations.

Lee had matured a lot over those 18 months. It was a testament to Amanda’s influence and was solid evidence that he’d actually  _ wanted _ to do that growing up. Even as well as they’d been getting to know each other, and had come to be partners  _ and _ friends, Lee had absolutely no idea how she would want to handle this change in their relationship. 

For all he knew, this was a one-time fling. Kind of like summer camp, where you could be someone else and have relationships that you’d never normally have. Then when you got back home, Susy Sapperstein would suddenly pretend she didn’t even know you - never mind that she’d let you french kiss her on the last night of camp and that she’d whispered ‘I love you’ before running to her cabin.

Lee finished up in the bathroom and came out in just a towel to find that Amanda was nearly done packing.

“Oh good, you’re out,” she said, sounding all business. “I ordered some coffee and fruit, keep an ear out for it while I shower and get dressed.”

Lee noticed she took her clothes into the bathroom with her. Between the packed luggage, her brusque tone, and the reversion to modesty, he thought he could guess how things would play out. Susy Sapperstein all over again.

He dressed in a button down shirt - open at the collar - and a blazer and slacks. Suitable for disembarking and catching their plane home. When breakfast came, he didn’t feel much like sitting on the balcony, so he set the tray on the small table in their suite.

Amanda took an efficient shower and spent a bit more time on doing her hair and make up than she had during the cruise. She imagined what Lee would say to her once they were on the plane, or maybe back at work. ‘Amanda, you understand it was just the sea air, it didn’t mean anything.’ And then he’d be back to his old ways. She would be sad but refused to have any regrets. They’d had more satisfying sex in the past few days than Amanda had practically during her entire marriage, and she really liked the way she and Lee had gotten along out of bed too. She’d have liked to think she meant more to him than his ‘Randy Baby’ girlfriends - that they had something deeper. But she just didn’t know. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to look like a lovesick fool,” she said to her reflection in the mirror.

It didn’t escape her notice that Lee hadn’t put their breakfast out on the balcony. They ate inside - not even the drapes were drawn - amidst uncomfortable silence. 

“Well, you’ll be glad to get home to see Phillip and Jamie, and your mother,” Lee said eventually.

“Oh, yeah,” Amanda agreed. “The boys will be tired and filthy from camp, but it’ll be good to all be home together.”

Lee sighed as he felt a hollowed-out loneliness in his chest.

His sigh nudged her to decide she had nothing to lose - it wasn’t like she was propositioning him - it was just a dinner invitation. “Why don’t you come for dinner on Sunday? We can barbecue in the yard and you can meet mother and the boys.”

“What?”

Amanda thought his reaction pretty much confirmed her fears about how he felt. She concentrated on her coffee cup and backtracked. “Oh, never mind… I’m sure you have better plans. Randy will be glad you’re back in town.”

“Rand--” Lee began, then stopped and took a deep breath. “Amanda, there isn’t any Randy.”

“There isn't?” Amanda asked cautiously.

“No.” He shook his head as he fidgeted the thumb and index finger on his left hand.

“I don't understand.”

“I actually haven’t seen her since the last time  _ you _ saw her, and--”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She really had felt bad for ruining his date that night.

“Yes. You are?” Lee’s disappointment showed in his scowling face. With her dinner invitation, he’d dared to hope that Amanda would be happy he didn’t have any other entanglements.

“You haven’t?” she asked, a hopeful lilt coming through in her voice.

“No.” Lee screwed up his courage and looked at her. “Well, you can’t date someone when you’re falling for someone else, can you?”

“Oh.”

Amanda looked up to meet his eyes and Lee reached across the table to take her hands in his. She was sure she could hear her own heart pounding with what he’d just implied.

“Amanda, I would very much like to come for dinner on Sunday.”

She ventured a small smile and a teasing question - these were truly uncharted waters. “It’s not too suburban for you?”

“Well, maybe a  _ tiny _ bit,” Lee said, smiling widely, dimples and all. “Honestly, it sounds wonderful. I’m going to miss spending all this time with you.”

Amanda stood up and came toward him. “Me too,” she said before kissing him soundly and deeply.

As they separated, Lee mumbled, “Take that Susy Sapperstein.”

“Who?” Amanda gave him a quizzical look. 

“Long story… I’ll tell you all about it sometime.”

======

Lee and Amanda disembarked the  _ Princess Martha _ for the last time, sorry that their trip was over, but eternally grateful for the case and the cruise that had brought them together to discover and explore their attraction and affection.

As their cab was pulling away, they got one last glimpse of Tad and Dixie, who were making out while waiting in line at the taxi stand.

END


End file.
